The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, 1887-07-23

PLAQUES, Mary Ann plaques"
mildly corrected Lois.
'And the bookseller, miss, please, he
says there amt no sale for no such, and,
please, he wants the window room for
something else."
very well, Mary Ann" said Lois,
with sigh as deep as Avernus.
''And please, miss, the GILMAN says he
has orders not to fill the can until the
bill is paid"
"Then we must burn candles, Mary
Ann" said Lois, "for we have no money
o pay bills"
"But the grocer, miss, please, he says
he'd rather we'd patronize some other
shop till we've paid something on &C,
count"
Very WELL" said Lois listlessly.
She was no Midas. She could not
turn blank paper into money by the
touch of her fingers.
"And please, miss, what shall l tell
the butcher9' persisted Mary Ann, the
ruthless.
MARY Ann, do go away" walled
Lois. 'How do l know3 There's my
purse. There is shilling in it, and
that's all pve got in the world. And I
don't see any chance of earning anything
more. There's some one knocking at
the door. Go quick, and see who it is.
Mary Ann clattered down stairs. 1t
was Mrs. Castleton's maid, with a book
which her mistress had borrowed of Miss
Verney.
sand please, missus 'ud like to borry
'Peveril of the Peak, if Miss Verney'll
let her have it."
Major Verney had been something of a
book collector in his day, and all the
neighborhood were now profting by it.
AS Mary Ann remarked, cit did seem
as if it took one PERSONS time to run up
and down stairs with books for them as
borried and returned"
"Wel, Pll see, said Mary Ann.
And once more she clattered up
stairs.
''Here's Jane Eyre miss" said she.
"And Mrs. Castleton wants to borry
'Peverips Peak. ,"
at of her have If - said T,ois
Mary Ann advanced close to her mis-
tress.
'Miss Lois" said she, in a contiden-
tial undertone, elf it amt maxim too
bold, why don't we keep a circulating
library instead of free lending place?
heerd the bookseller say to-day, while
was wrapping up my packets and
things in brown paper, as he made more
money out of his circulating library than
he did out of his regular business"
Lois frightened up.
There's some sense in what you say,
Mary Ann, said she. Money must be
had in some way, aud poor Uncle Yer
ney's books shall earn it for us. I'll
cover and number them myself, and
you shall give them out and take them
in. ;"
Mary Ann was not bad business
agent, and the circulating library bust
ness prospered in a small way.
Aud between whites, Lois dii law
copying and mended the already twice
darned house linen. Anything-any-
thing to escape the pitiless demons of
thought and memory!
"'Clarissa Harlowe, eh2 That's
number fourteen" said Mary Ann to
Betsy Roper, a round checked serving
maid, who had stepped around with
her apron over her head and a brigh
silver shilling tied in the corner of her
northumberland, 'Tts the first call
we've had for 'Clarissa Harlowo.
"Idon'tknow much about 'un, "said Bet
sey, blushing vivid plum color; ''but
my old uncle in Yorrukshire, he always
toald me to be sure and read 'un when
gotten a chance. He said there were no
such books writ these days as 'un. can
keep 'un in the dressers drawer and read
'un at night when the back o my work
is broken"
Betsey Roper went away chucklng,
with the first volume Of "Ciarissa Har-
lowe" under her arm, done up in brown
paper, and neatly pack threaded.
Rnt in her desire 10 cultivate liz